Dance of the Hart
by teachinEnglish
Summary: This story is an AU meeting story set in modern times. Both Jennifer and Jonathan are attracted to each other, but neither is who he/she seems to be. Can their budding love overcome dangerous secrets? This story gets pretty sexy in parts and is rated M for the naughty bits.
1. Chapter 1

Jennifer Edwards was currently running as fast as her twelve year old legs would carry her. Her father could promise her a ride on the streetcar, he could promise her to see the ducks at The Peabody, he could promise to take her to Fisherman's Wharf, but none of it was the same without her mother. Her tears coursed down her cheeks and blinded her. If it weren't for the teenager standing on the corner, she would have run right into the path of the oncoming trolley.

"Whoa, slow down there. Where's the fire?" He still had his arms wrapped around the girl who seemed to be all legs and arms, but she was struggling so hard against him, he had to let go. "Just slow down so you don't run into the street." Suddenly she stilled.

Jennifer was mortified. All of her upbringing suddenly slammed into her, and her innate politeness took over. She straightened her dress, impatiently wiped at her eyes, and prepared to thank the boy standing in front of her for saving her life. When she looked up at him, into his stormy eyes, her twelve year old heart almost hammered out of her chest. She developed her first crush standing on a street corner in San Francisco.

"Thank you for stopping me." He looked down at her, concerned. She looked devastated; it was a look he saw all too often where he lived.

"Are you all right? Is someone trying to hurt you? You were in an awful hurry to get away from something." She was quick to shake her head.

"No, I just…" Her tears started again, embarrassing her. The young man pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and thought to himself, "_Damned if he isn't right about this being a good thing to carry_." Jennifer took the offered cloth and dabbed at her eyes and nose. "I'm sorry. I don't usually cry like this."

"Can I help?" Jennifer smiled up at him through her tears and he could tell she would be beautiful when she grew up. He looked so genuine, and her heart just poured out to him.

"My father just told me he's sending me to boarding school." Jennifer paused and looked down toward the wharf. "My mother died four months ago. I think my dad just doesn't know what to do with me." She shrugged slightly.

Just then an older man came barreling up the sidewalk.

"Jennifer!" He stopped in front of them and put his hands on her shoulders while he caught his breath. "Sweetheart, are you all right? Why did you run off like that?" The younger man watched as she pulled herself together for the second time and was impressed by her poise.

"Pa, I'm sorry I worried you. I just couldn't think." One last tear trickled down her cheek. Steven Edwards wiped at it gently.

"Let's go get something to eat, and we can talk." She nodded and looked back one last time at the boy she would dream about for years to come.

The boy gave a slight wave as his heart went out to a girl he barely knew.

**Fifteen years later…**

Jonathan Hart was mingling, God he hated to mingle, at a political fundraiser. Extricating himself from the existing group of gladhanders wasn't easy, but his charm allowed him to get away with much more than most. At almost six feet tall, with dark wavy hair and sky blue eyes that went stormy gray when he was angry, Jonathan was a man who had his pick of women and the envy of many men. He'd come a long way since his days at the Mission Street Orphanage. From pick pocketing just to put food in his belly, to saving up a little over $1,000 dollars with an idea about transistors and turning that into a multi-million dollar empire, edging toward billion dollar, he was the poster boy for the American Dream. His smile certainly belonged on a poster, and he was currently using it to charm his way out of a dance. As he headed toward the hallway and away from the noise of the ballroom, he heard a laugh that was like a Siren's song. He had to find the source. Jonathan heard the laugh again and followed it to another room, only to be mesmerized by its creator and confused by the people who surrounded her.

Jennifer Edwards was standing with an assembly of cigar smoking, cap wearing chauffeurs. Since winters in DC are brutal, a room was set up inside for the drivers of all the political royalty and celebrities in attendance, complete with a bar. While her looks certainly set her apart from the group, she appeared to fit in right in, minus the stogie. She was engrossed in a deep conversation, and Jonathan stood in the doorway and studied her. Her auburn hair framed her face and brushed her shoulders. From where he stood, he couldn't quite make out the color of her eyes. They were dark, but when she looked around and the light hit them, they reminded him of sipping Brandy on a cold winter's night. That image brought on a rather carnal thought of sliding into her warmth, but who could blame him as he perused her body. She was wearing a simple, black sheath dress which hugged her in all the right places, and her legs went for miles under the short skirt.

Max's gravelly voice brought him out of the fantasy he was headed toward. "Mr. H., should I introduce you?" Max was Jonathan's long time friend, mentor, father figure, and houseman. Max was also the only person in the world Jonathan ever felt he could truly be himself around.

"You know her?" Max nodded.

"Miss Edwards? Yeah. She's terrific. C'mon." Jonathan followed the older gentleman to the bar. Max tapped Jennifer on the shoulder, and she turned. From across the room, Jennifer was beautiful, but up close, Jonathan felt his knees buckle. He'd never felt so bowled over in his life, and he hoped he didn't make a fool of himself. She smiled genuinely at Max.

"Hi, Max. Who's your friend?" Max pointed at Jonathan with his cigar.

"Miss Edwards, this is Mr. H., my boss. Mr. H.., this is Jennifer Edwards." Jennifer offered Jonathan her hand, which he took before kissing her fingertips. The electricity between them was palpable.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Edwards." She smiled slowly, well aware of her effect on him, and something about that smile tugged at the corner of his memory.

"Jennifer, please." He smiled that poster boy smile, and she was charmed.

"Jonathan." They stood there, staring at each other. Max just rolled his eyes.

"Mr. H., you should dance with Miss Edwards." Poking his thumb in Jonathan's direction, he added for Jennifer's sake, "He's pretty good." Jennifer smiled at Jonathan again.

"Well, I'm always up for a good dance." Jonathan wondered if there was a double entendre in that line or if he just really hoped there was.

Jonathan led her back across the hall and onto the dance floor. They moved smoothly together, and since the music was slow, Jonathan took advantage of the opportunity to pull Jennifer closer. She smelled of cigars and lilacs, and she fit just perfectly in his arms. Her voice was musical and a little husky when she was talking just loudly enough for him to hear.

"Max was right. You are pretty good." He smiled down at her and felt his body react to their closeness.

"You're pretty good yourself." He continued to stare at her and he smiled slowly. "What's a gorgeous woman like you doing hanging out with a bunch of cigar smoking, poker playing men at a political fundraiser? I'm surprised your date let you out of his sight." She laughed and his body reacted more insistently.

"First of all, I don't have a date tonight."

"That's a good thing. I hated to think of him going home alone." Jennifer cocked an eyebrow at his intention and thought that his smile should be illegal.

"Secondly, I often prefer the honesty of some over the falseness of others."

"I think I just found my soul mate." Jonathan meant that line to be flirtatious, but after he said it, he kept coming back to it and ruminating on it.

"Why did you wander into the chauffeur's lounge?" He told her without pretense.

"I heard your laugh. It enchanted me." The look in his eyes flustered her.

"Oh. That's very sweet."

As the fundraiser wound down, Jonathan and Jennifer slowly realized that they'd spent the last two hours in each other's arms. Neither was ready for it to end. Jennifer smiled up at him.

"Does your invitation still stand?"

"My invitation?" Her smile was sexy and teasing.

"For me to go home with you instead of my date." His smile was quick and enticing.

"Yes. Let me find out if Max can bunk somewhere else tonight." Jennifer stopped him.

"We can go to my hotel, if that's easier."

"Where are you staying?"

"The Ritz."

"The DC or Georgetown one?"

"DC."

"So am I."

"Well, isn't that convenient?" He pulled her close just before the music ended, and she felt what she was doing to him.

"Very." They walked to the coat check to retrieve their coats and met Max out front. He already had the car heated and they sped off toward the hotel.

The three got into the elevator together, but when the doors opened at Jennifer's floor, Jonathan walked out with her.

"I'll catch you later, Max."

"Good night, you two." Jonathan didn't bring a whole lot of his lady friends around Max. The older man was kind of hoping Miss Edwards stuck.

Jonathan took Jennifer's key card from her as they approached her suite. On this trip, she'd splurged on one of the club level suites. It gave her access to the exclusive Club Level bar and lounge, where she was hoping to catch some of America's more elite for interviews. Jonathan hadn't asked yet what she did for a living, and she hoped it wouldn't make him run when he found out she was an investigative reporter. There was something completely intriguing and intoxicating about him, and she put herself out of her comfort zone to pursue him after being introduced by Max.

When they got to her door, before putting the key card in the slot, Jonathan trapped Jennifer between himself and the wall. His mouth was mere inches from hers.

"Last chance to change your mind." Her eyes and her smile told him everything he needed to know.

"Not on your life." Jonathan opened the door to her suite and followed her in.

He nodded to the bottle of champagne. "Celebrating something?" She gave him a coy smile.

"I called before we left and had it sent up while we drove back from the Kennedy Center."

"Shall I open it?"

"Please." Jonathan popped the top and poured two glasses.

He handed her one. "What should we drink to?" Jennifer's eyes darkened.

"To unexpected pleasures." Jonathan clinked his glass to hers and watched as the champagne passed through her luscious lips before taking his own sip. Jennifer set her glass down and closed the gap between them. She took Jonathan's glass and put it next to hers before wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Jennifer, I need to be clear about something." He put his hands on her hips. "I don't know what will happen after tonight. I need to be honest with you, and I don't want you to have expectations that I can't meet." Those Brandy colored eyes met his.

"The only expectation I have right now is for you to kiss me." That was all the invitation he needed.

Jonathan brought his lips to hers and rubbed gently. She tasted of champagne and something exotic that was solely Jennifer Edwards. His lips teased, his tongue enticed, and Jennifer seduced him completely. His need for her consumed him like a wildfire, and he struggled to take things slowly. Jennifer took that decision out of his hands when she pushed his jacket off his shoulders and undid his tie. She was busy unbuttoning the buttons of his shirt while her mouth made love to his. Jonathan was quickly losing his battle against control as her hands found his chest and her nails scraped lightly through the course hair and over his nipples. Jonathan's hands were on her hips, her dress bunched under his palms, when his phone rang.

"Damn." Jennifer's mouth never left his.

"Ignore it." Reluctantly, Jonathan broke the kiss.

"I can't. It's Max, and he wouldn't interrupt me unless it was important." She smiled at him, disappointment in her eyes.

"You should answer it then." The growl in his voice made her feel a little better.

"Max? This better be life or death."

"I'm sorry, Mr. H., but Frik and Frac are here."

"At this hour? Idiots. All right, I'll be right up." Jonathan ended the call and hung his head for a moment. He turned and pulled Jennifer into his arms while placing a kiss on her temple. "You have no idea how sorry I am that I have to go."

"I'm sorry too." She gave him a seductive kiss. "You know where to find me if you decide you want to come back."

"If I can't get back tonight, how about breakfast in the morning?" She smiled up at him.

"I like breakfast." He nodded at her.

"I'll see you soon." With a quick kiss he was out the door, and Jennifer had time to think about what almost happened.

...

Jonathan stormed through the door of his hotel room.

"What are you two doing here? It's after one in the morning." Tom Anderson and Jerry Kase looked non-plussed as they faced Jonathan's anger.

"You've forgotten the first rule of your job, Mr. Hart." Jonathan laughed ruefully at Tom's statement.

"My job, as you put it, has never been babysitter. I transport documents and information. Let me also remind you that I don't work for you. Everything I do, I do as a favor."

"Regardless of what you think, you were asked, as a favor, to protect Miss Edwards. Will you be able to do that if you're sleeping with her?"

Jonathan shook his head. "What I do or don't do in my personal life is none of your business." He gave a stony stare to Jerry. "Maybe if I knew what I was protecting her from, I could do my job better." He emphasized the word job for the benefit of the two men standing in front of him.

Tom rolled his eyes. "Just keep a close eye on her, and keep her safe."

A slow, sly smile stole across Jonathan's face. "She'd be a lot closer right now if you two idiots hadn't decided to come calling in the middle of the night."

"We'll be in touch." It took everything Jonathan had to not slam the door at their backs. He stood with his back to the room for a minute, and he could feel Max waiting to say something.

"Just say it, Max."

"Well, I seen the way you looked at Miss Edwards. You ain't just protecting her. I don't want to see her get hurt, Mr. H.. This could be sticky."

"Tell me about it." Jonathan shook his head and turned around. "Max, she floored me. Obviously I knew she was gorgeous. Her photo was in her file. I also read about her education, which is impressive, the fact that she's fluent in six languages. Six. It's crazy. She's hard working, an accomplished writer with several awards behind her, and the list of accolades goes on. What her dossier didn't tell me is how funny, sexy, interesting, and everything else she is."

"What're ya going to do about it?" Jonathan threw his hands up in the air and paced.

"I don't know, Max. I've never wanted a woman the way I want her. I don't just want to sleep with her. I like spending time with her. I want to get to know her better. I want to make her laugh again. I want to just stare into those gorgeous whiskey colored eyes."

"You got it bad, Mr. H.. Ya gotta tell her the truth."

"How can I? I don't even know what the truth is. What do I tell her? 'Jennifer, I'm supposed to protect you, but I don't know from what or why. Sometimes I do favors for the government. Will you just trust me?' She'll think I'm nuts."

While Jonathan paced, so did Jennifer. After he left, she took a shower to get the smoke smell out of her hair. She changed into a jade green silk cami and tap pant set, hoping that Jonathan might come back to her room for the night. At the same time, she wasn't sure that it was a good idea. Her body definitely thought it was an excellent one, but her heart and mind were at war. She sipped champagne as she wore a hole in the carpeting.

She wasn't sure she needed the extra pressure of a relationship with everything else going on right now. Not that she and Jonathan would have a relationship. "_Jennifer, he even told you not to expect anything. 'I don't expect anything but for you to kiss me.' Where did that come from? Who says that?_" Then Jennifer smiled as she remembered his lips on hers. The man could definitely kiss, and her body responded with just the memory of it. As she turned to head to the bedroom, she saw the envelope on the floor by the door to the hallway. Closing her eyes, she mentally calmed herself and chose to ignore what she knew was probably another threat. She just didn't want to deal with it again tonight. Turning out the light, she went to bed, more disappointed than she wanted to be that Jonathan didn't come back.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: This chapter is quite racy, so if you aren't a fan, please stop reading after Jennifer gets up off the sofa.

The little red numbers on the clock read 8:06 am. Who in their right mind would be knocking on her door at 8:06 am? She threw her robe on, and padded to the door. Jennifer's irritation quickly turned to pure delight as she saw Jonathan through the peep hole. She opened the door with a smile on her face.

"Good morning, Gorgeous. I brought breakfast." He wiggled the brown paper bag and held up the tray with two coffee cups in it.

"Hi. Come on in." She closed the door behind him, making sure the "do not disturb" sign was in the slot. "I'll be right back." She hurried off to the bathroom to brush her teeth and run a comb through her hair. When she re-entered the room, Jonathan had the coffee table set with English muffins, their coffee, and a rose in a bud vase. "This is a good way to wake up in the morning. I'm pretty sure none of the other guests have such personal room service."

When he turned, she noticed the envelope in his hand. She'd forgotten all about it. Jonathan noticed her eyes cloud over as he held it out to her. Her hand shook just slightly as she took it from him.

"Jennifer, are you all right?"

She tried to cover with a smile. "Fine. It's just my hotel bill." She set it on the desk and moved to the couch. Jonathan made a mental note to peek at her "bill" later before sitting down next to her. "How did everything turn out for you last night?"

He gave a little laugh. "As expected. It's a hazard of working with an international company. When someone on the other side of the world has a crisis, they forget that I'm sleeping…" He gave Jennifer a pointed look, "…or doing something far more exciting, while they're working." The lie didn't sit well with him, but Jennifer smiled coyly at him, letting him know she believed him.

"Exciting huh? It was definitely getting there." She loved watching his eyes light up when he laughed. "I won't apologize for where we were headed last night, but I came on a little strong, and that's out of character for me."

"I happen to like strong women. You strike me as confident, which I find extremely sexy." He watched as her cheeks turned pink and smiled at her mild discomfort at the compliment. He gave her a sexy wink. "So, tell me. What else have you done in your life that's out of character for you?"

Her first thought was, "_killed a man_", but her words were, "Ran away when I was twelve."

"Doesn't everyone run away when they're twelve?" She laughed a little. He nodded his chin at her. "Tell me about it."

Jennifer shook her head as she traveled back to San Francisco. "My mother died just a few months earlier, and Dad thought it would be good for us to take a trip. We lived in Maryland, on a horse ranch, and we'd vacationed before in San Francisco as a family. This trip didn't go at all as planned for my dad, and I was surly and missed my mom so much. The last straw for me was when he told me he was sending me to boarding school in the fall. I ran and ran and…" Jonathan's mind shifted to fifteen years ago as he finished her sentence.

"Would have run straight into a street car if a boy hadn't caught you." They stared at each other for a long moment, and Jonathan ran his thumb over her cheek.

"Oh, I knew you'd grow up to be beautiful." Jennifer's smile bloomed slowly as she recognized the eyes of the boy turned man sitting in front of her.

"You were the boy who caught me." It was more statement than question.

"I was."

She shook her head a little, still embarrassed by what she considered her outrageous behavior. "I missed my mother so much, and I didn't really handle it well."

Jonathan studied her. "Did you and your father ever work things out?" From her smile, he knew they had.

"Yes. Boarding school wasn't so bad, and as I aged, Pa and I were able to talk things through. We just both dealt with our heartbreak in different ways." She gave a tiny shrug.

"I thought of you from time to time."

Jennifer looked at him with surprise. "You did?"

"I did. I remember being terrified I wasn't going to be able to stop you, and then my heart broke with the desolation I saw in your eyes once you finally slowed down. Living in an orphanage, I saw that look of loss a lot, and I wondered sometimes what happened to you." Jennifer reached over and took his hand. They'd talked a little about their childhoods while they were dancing the night before, and Jennifer knew that, while Jonathan handled his upbringing well, it sometimes still made him sad when he thought of all the younger children he left behind when Max found him.

She tried to lighten the mood with her next statement. "You were my first crush."

He laughed fully. "Be serious."

"I am serious. I fell head over heels into twelve year old love with you on that street corner." A little twinkle stole into her eyes. "I'll be right back." She returned momentarily with a light blue handkerchief.

Jonathan looked at her, disbelief written all over his face. "You kept that?"

"I was twelve, and it was the sweetest thing anyone ever did for me. I told you I developed an enormous crush on you."

"But you still have it, and you carry it with you when you travel."

Her grin turned sheepish. "It became a kind of good luck charm. It reminded me not to settle for anyone less than a gentleman who would take the time to be kind to a distraught young girl."

Jonathan shook his head and fell completely in love. "I laughed at Max when he told me to carry a handkerchief. That night I went home and had to admit to him that he was right. Do you know how hard it is for a 17 year old to admit to being wrong? Now I suppose I'm going to have to thank him again."

Jennifer laughed and her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Want to know a secret?" He nodded once. "You occupied many of my middle school and high school fantasies."

He leaned in and kissed her gently. "I hope I can live up to those fantasies when we make love." This time the gleam in her eye caused a reaction in his body.

"You already surpassed them with last night's kiss." The next thing she knew, he'd dragged her on top of him, as his mouth possessed hers. Jonathan ran his hands up her body and his thumbs brushed against the sides of her breasts. Not happy with the confinements of the small sofa, Jennifer stood, offering Jonathan her hand.

"Come with me." She walked a little in front of him so he could watch as her robe was discarded. He throbbed when he saw her exposed back after she removed her cami, and he thought he might die with want when her tap pants fell to the floor. He reached her just as she turned and he took the opportunity to drink in her flawlessness. His eyes moved from her gorgeous face to her long neck, her toned arms, which ended with delicate hands and long fingers, back up to her breasts, which he couldn't wait to get his hands and mouth on, to her tapered waist and long, perfect dancer's legs. He wondered what it would feel like when she wrapped them around him.

"Jennifer, you're simply every man's fantasy. You are exquisite." He loved that little seductive smile she gave him.

"And you are over dressed." She helped him get his shirt up and over his head. He toed out of his shoes, while she slid his pants down his legs along with his briefs and let her eyes travel the length of him from his toes back up to his eyes. His legs were strong and muscled, his midsection made her salivate, and his torso and chest were well defined and fit. She already knew how strong his arms were from being wrapped up in them, and that face of his could make angels weep with envy.

"Jonathan, you definitely surpass anything my school aged mind came up with." She pushed up on her toes and rocked him with a carnal kiss. He'd enjoyed the company of many women in life, but Jennifer made him need and want more than anyone else. He absolutely craved her touch, her kiss, and he knew that once they made love, he would be completely addicted. There was a small part of his brain that told him to stop it now, while he still could, but he knew it would be like standing in front of a runaway freight train. His feelings overwhelmed him and he had no choice but to continue making love to her.

His hands left fiery trails wherever they touched her. As much as she didn't want to get Jonathan involved in her life right now, she couldn't stop what she was feeling. Everything she felt as a child merged with what she now knew as an adult and threw her into this abyss of want and need. Her mouth was hungry, her hands were greedy, her body ached for him, and she prayed he felt everything she was feeling.

Jonathan had to slow things down. There was so much he wanted to discover about her, but her hands were destroying him. He pushed her onto the bed and fused his mouth to her breast. Her back arched immediately and one hand fisted in his hair while the other roamed his back. His tongue worried her nipple, causing her to whimper, and his body responded, but he tamped down his need so he could fuel her pleasure. He switched from one breast to the other, and as she writhed next to him, he ran his fingers lightly over the auburn curls of her middle. Her gasp at his touch made him smile against her breast. He ran his fingers on either side of her opening, along her folds, and teased her. Jonathan pressed gently on her swollen, sensitive nub, rubbing it, stroking it, and coiling Jennifer tighter with every flick of his tongue and finger. Her hips rocked against him and everything inside her fractured. The man hadn't even been inside her and he brought her to an earth shattering climax. She had no time to recover as his fingers slid deep within her and pushed her again toward bliss. He moved his mouth from her breast to her lips, where his tongue kept time with his fingers. Jennifer could feel her body losing its tether to reality with every stroke, and her hips pushed against Jonathan's hand in an undulating rhythm. When she cried out his name, Jonathan switched his fingers for what he needed most inside her. He steeled himself against his body's urge to take and plunder, especially when those legs he'd admired wrapped around him.

"Ah, Jennifer, you're so tight, so perfect." Every nerve ending in her body was screaming for a third release as he slid in and out, pushing her. Her lungs couldn't seem to get enough oxygen, and her brain fogged with every stroke. Jonathan knew he only had a few thrusts in him before his body betrayed him, so he drove as deeply as could into her and watched her as she succumbed again to his body's ministrations. When she let go, so did he, and the intensity of his release was like nothing he'd ever felt before. Skyrockets exploded in his brain as her name left his lips on a shaky sigh just before he collapsed on top of her.

Never in her life had Jennifer felt anything like what she just experienced. To be ravaged and wanted enough to scream a man's name in the throes of passion was only something she thought happened in books and movies. She'd certainly never expected it to happen to her. While she wasn't inexperienced, love had been lukewarm for her. The men she dated all seemed to be in it for whatever she could do for them. Jonathan however, was a white hot fury who just branded her and once again set the bar far too high for any other man to reach.

Jonathan's head was spinning. He was no stranger to women. He liked them, enjoyed them, and certainly had no difficulty pleasuring them or receiving pleasure in return, but Jennifer did things to him that he'd never known. Most women would call him a generous lover, but he'd wanted to spend the entire morning exploring everything that caused Jennifer to make those sexy little sounds; he wanted to give her everything. The fact that he'd practically gone blind with the strength of his orgasm surprised him as well, and he'd never called a woman's name in bed before. He'd also never wanted to stay once all was said and done, but now he could think of nothing more than curling up next to this stunning redhead and holding her forever. Max was right, Jonathan did have it bad.

When he thought he'd gathered enough strength, he shifted, but Jennifer held him tight. Her voice was no more than a whisper. "Don't move."

He placed a light kiss near her ear. "Thank you. I don't think I can." Jennifer's husky laugh hardened him again.

She moved her head so she could look into his eyes, and she saw a wicked gleam. "Well, that's an unexpected surprise."

"Not for me. Last night your laugh had the same effect." Her sexy, knowing smile had him wanting her all over again. He brought his mouth to hers for a seductive kiss. "How can I want you this much again? I should be satisfied for a year after what you just did to me."

"Well, I have all day for as many do-overs as you'd like." His laugh was more of a groan.

"Dear God, we'll kill each other." She laughed again and felt him throb within her.

"But what a way to go." His mouth took hers with a carnal kiss as she rocked her hips against his. He shifted his leg and rolled with her so she was on top of him. Jennifer pushed up and sat back so she could take him even deeper.

"You are absolutely incredible." He laced his fingers through hers and braced his arms so she could push against him. He held her with his eyes as her hips pushed him closer to the point of no return. When she fisted around him and called his name again, he let go with a feral cry and emptied himself. Jennifer continued to stroke him as their bodies trembled, and she lowered herself to his chest and kissed his neck. He ran his fingers through her hair and pressed his lips to her forehead. Before he could stop himself, the words were out of his mouth.

"You've captivated me, Jennifer Edwards. I'm in love with you." She pillowed her head with her hands on his chest and studied him.

She so desperately wanted to say those words back to him. Never in her life had she been surer of anything; she was in love with Jonathan. Instead of "I love you, too.", she said, "You don't really know me." He'd been studying her as well, hoping her eyes might tell him what he wanted to know. He definitely saw conflict, but couldn't decipher anything beyond it.

"I'm a man who knows what he wants." He brought her lips to his for a gentle kiss. "I want you."

Her eyes were sad when she opened them to look at him. "I'm not who you think I am. I'm not who you want." She rolled off the bed and headed into the bathroom to take a shower. Since she didn't shut the door, he followed her.

Steam was already billowing and fogging the glass when he opened the door.

"Jonathan…"

"Why don't you let me decide who I want and who I don't?" He squirted shampoo into his palm and lathered her hair, loving the feel of it in his hands. He conditioned it for her after she washed out the shampoo. His kindness, his generosity, and his gentleness were going to be her undoing.

If she let herself, she could absolutely see a life with him, but Jennifer had to be practical; she had to be strong. There was no way she would allow Jonathan to get wrapped up in the debacle that was her life.

While she rinsed, he used the shampoo provided by the hotel and washed his own hair. Before she could escape him, Jonathan trapped her against the back wall. He braced himself on his arms and kept his body a hair's breadth away from hers.

"I know I told you last night not to expect anything from me. That's my standard speech with any woman I spend time with. The minute your lips touched mine, that speech went out the window. You are the only woman I will ever want again."

"Jonathan, I have nothing to give you right now. Please, I'm begging you. Let me go."

"Jennifer, I can see my whole future in your eyes." She closed her eyes and the tears fell. When she opened them again, she told him as much as she could.

"And I can see mine in yours, but that's why you have to let me go. Please." She dodged under his arm and escaped into the bedroom. She dressed as quickly as she could, knowing that Jonathan absolutely would wear her down, but she'd kept the last three weeks from everyone, including her father, and she wouldn't risk the one man she could see herself building a life with.

Jonathan came out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist, and picked up his clothes from the floor.

"I think you should get dressed and go back to your room. Believe me, it's for the best." Jonathan decided to push his advantage and see if he could get Jennifer to talk to him.

"Does this sudden need to get rid of me have anything to do with that envelope under your door?" She froze momentarily, but thought she recovered pretty well. As liars went, Jennifer was awful.

"I told you that was my hotel bill."

He nodded once. "Um-hm." He turned and headed for the other room. The knock on the door distracted him for a minute, but when he opened the door, a fist collided with his jaw and he went sprawling into the coffee table. Another man came in, placed a cloth over Jennifer's nose and mouth and carried the unconscious woman to the stairs. When Jonathan came to a couple minutes later, he shook his head and ran into the hallway. Jennifer was gone. He re-entered her room and called Max.


	3. Chapter 3

"Max get down to Jennifer's room." He rattled off the room number and hung up.

Jonathan was looking at the note left under Jennifer's door when he let Max in.

"Mr. H., what's up? You sound upset."

"Jennifer just got kidnapped. Read this." Max took the note.

"You rejected the son. You cannot refuse the father. Your presence is required." Max looked at Jonathan, confusion on his face. "What's this?"

"A note that was left under Jennifer's door. This must be what I'm supposed to protect her from." Jonathan shook his head. "I did a bang up job, didn't I?"

"Mr. H., how could you do what you need to do when you didn't know what you need to do?" Jonathan didn't really have an answer to that and went into the bedroom to see if there were other notes or anything that might help him figure out what was going on.

Jennifer's laptop was in a messenger bag, along with a notepad. Jonathan booted the laptop and leafed through the handwritten notes while he waited. "Max, what did you and Jennifer talk about last night at the fundraiser?"

Max came into the bedroom. "Miss Edwards talked with a lot of us last night. She was real easy to talk to about pretty much anything."

"Did you talk about anything specific?" Max shrugged.

"Nah, not really. She mentioned the book she was writing, and I think Sherman, the driver for that lady big-wig from Illinois, told her he would put in a good word for her if she wanted to interview his boss."

"Did she talk to anyone other than you and Sherman?"

"Sure. She talked to a lot of us." Max thought. "No one pops though. I'm sorry, Mr. H.."

When Jonathan glanced down at the computer, he saw the lock screen, which didn't surprise him. He had someone who could bypass it if he needed to, but he didn't want to invade Jennifer's privacy if it wasn't absolutely necessary. As he examined her notes, he noticed that they were meticulous. She had side notes about her meetings. He could see where the answers she was given by those she interviewed spawned more questions, as well as little anecdotes and comments regarding their personalities. He had to give her credit for her thoroughness.

"Did she tell you what the book was about?"

"She's putting a bunch of interviews together. Hoity toity people." Jonathan smiled in spite of himself at Max's vocabulary.

"That makes sense with what I'm reading here."

As he continued scanning, a couple of entries gave him pause. He wanted a second opinion before he jumped to a conclusion.

"Max, take a look at these, will you?" Jonathan handed the older gentleman the journal.

Max read through the two interviews. He turned his head this way and that as he read the notes in the margins.

"This first one don't fit exactly with the note under Miss Edward's door. The second rings a bell. Sounds like the ambassador was a little creepy, and the apple didn't fall too far from the tree." Max handed the book to Jonathan, who put it back in Jennifer's bag. Jonathan took the bag with him when he and Max headed back up to their room. Jonathan got the same impression.

"We should give Frik and Frac a call."

...

Tom and Jerry were at the hotel within 20 minutes. Jerry found the wrong end of Jonathan's wrath with his opening comment.

"Way to screw things up, Hart." Jonathan rounded on the man, his eyes blazing blue fire.

"Me? You're the one who told me nothing. How am I supposed to protect someone when I don't even know what the threat is or where it's coming from?" Jonathan was pacing. He knew he needed to get a grip on his anger or he would be of no help in finding Jennifer. Max handed Jonathan Jennifer's notebook. The younger man took a deep breath and gave Max a look of thanks.

Handing the notebook to Tom, Jonathan pointed to the entry he and Max flagged earlier.

"What do you know about this?" Tom read the interview thoroughly, flipping through the few pages of copious notes.

"I know that the good ambassador from Russia is not what he seems." Jonathan again found himself wanting to shake answers from the man standing in front of him.

"Look, I know I don't have the security clearance that you two do, but you asked me to do something, and aren't giving me any information. I'll find her myself if I have to, although I don't think you want the diplomatic mess on your hands that I'll cause."

Tom and Jerry looked at each other. They'd been working with Jonathan long enough to know that he was good at what he did, and he meant business. Tom sighed and shook his head.

"What I'm about to tell you is something that could cost me my job, but you might be the only one who can get to Jennifer in time."

Jonathan's heart was in his throat. "What do you know? How bad is this?"

"We've been watching Ambassador Grigori Popov for several years. He is involved in a lot of shady dealings, but we can't catch him. His son is a nightmare, but their diplomatic immunity protects them both. Three weeks ago, the local police fielded a call from Miss Edwards. She'd been interviewing Popov in New York at a local restaurant, and his son, Adrian was with him. For security, the restaurant was closed to other patrons, so it was just the Popovs, their entourage, and Miss Edwards. Older Popov left, along with his associates, and Adrian made Miss Edwards an offer she wanted to refuse. When he wouldn't take no for an answer, she shoved at him to get away, and he fell into a marble side table. He cracked his head pretty badly. Miss Edwards found a phone and called for help, telling the police that she thought she killed a man in self defense, but when she went back into the room after the locals got there, the room was empty. They found a bit of blood on the underside of the table, but no body and no other evidence."

Jonathan looked hard at Tom. "How did you get all this info?"

"We've been working behind the scenes with several local police departments. Popov spends a lot of time in New York, as well as here in DC at the embassy. The PD in New York shared Miss Edwards' statement with us after they let her go."

"Now this note makes sense." He showed what he'd found in Jennifer's room to Tom. "Popov has to have her." Jonathan thought for a minute. "Do you think they cleaned up to get Jennifer under their thumb?"

"It's possible, although I don't know what use they would have for her."

"She's a well respected journalist. They could use her as a bargaining chip in all sorts of deals." Jonathan thought for a minute. "Did they check the blood to make sure it belonged to Popov?"

"They did, and it is his, but without a body, and without anything more than what could have been the result of a torn hangnail, they can't open an investigation."

"Can't they bring in the Ambassador and question him? Ask about Adrian? Ask about his interview with Jennifer?"

"They're reluctant to do that, and Popov has been holed up tight at the embassy since after Miss Edwards' call. No one on our team has seen or heard from Adrian Popov."

Jerry finally spoke up. "Things might be a little worse than the Russians wanting to use Miss Edwards for her journalism skills." He looked at Tom. "You were in with Seth this morning when some new information popped." Jerry looked back and forth at all three men. "Apparently the Popov men have been mentioned as the leads in a worldwide human trafficking ring."

Jonathan's heart went from his throat to his stomach. "We have to find her."

...

Jennifer came to in a room that was decorated in a distinctly Russian fashion. As her eyes finally focused and her head stopped spinning, she glanced around. She was in an opulently furnished bedroom, but she had no idea where the bedroom was located. Her heart sank as she realized that she must be at the Russian Embassy. "_That has to be it. No one else would go to such lengths_." She closed her eyes again and tried to retrace where she'd been. The last thing she remembered was a knock on her hotel door and watching Jonathan go reeling into the coffee table. "_Did they take Jonathan too? Did they do worse to him?_" Her tears fell as her worst fears about getting involved with him invaded her mind. She wiped her eyes impatiently and tested her legs. Finding her balance, she marched to the door and tried the handle. Of course it was locked. She pounded on the door.

"Hello? I know someone is out there. Tell me what you want." As she waited, she paced, putting the last three weeks together in her mind. "_It all started with that interview. Grigori Popov seemed like a great addition to the interviews for my book. Unfortunately, that didn't turn out so well. _" Her mind flashed back to the feeling of unease she had while talking to Ambassador Popov, and at the time, she thought it was due to the way Adrian kept staring at her. Eventually she realized that both the father and the son made her feel uncomfortable. Regrettably, after the ambassador left, Adrian made things worse.

A knock on Jennifer's door brought her out of her reverie. She waited to see who would enter after the door was unlocked. A cart came through the door first, followed by Ambassador Grigori Popov.

"I am glad to see that you are awake. Since you missed lunch, I took the liberty of bringing you something to eat." Jennifer smiled a tight smile.

"I suppose I should thank you for your hospitality." Popov smiled, but the look in his eyes made Jennifer's stomach clench.

"There is something intriguing about redheaded women and their feistiness."

"Why am I here, Ambassador?"

"I like the directness as well. I should think you know why you are here, Miss Edwards. Did you not read the note you received last night?"

"No, as a matter of fact, I did not." Popov looked a little disappointed.

"Pity. It was direct." He motioned to the dome on the cart. "Please, come eat. Perhaps we can talk more civilly once you've satisfied your hunger."

"I'm fine right now, thank you. I'll ask again. Why am I here?" He looked directly at her and stunned her with his answer.

"Because Adrian wants you here." Jennifer shook her head.

"That's why there was no body when the police came. He wasn't dead." Popov laughed scornfully.

"You should do a better job of checking before you run off to the police."

"I was a little busy hoping to save his life. When I came back into the room to check on him, he had no pulse. When I went down to meet the officers and came back up, he was gone."

"Courtesy of my men. I couldn't have the police asking about his intentions with you. Adrian is currently back in Russia, but now that I have you, I will send for him."

Jennifer's veins iced over at that implication. She forced the words through her lips. "And when he's finished with me?" Popov's greedy smile made her knees buckle.

"I'll sell you for a nice profit. A gorgeous American redhead will put hundreds of thousands of dollars in my account." He nodded to the cart once again. "You should eat. You'll want your strength."

Jennifer stood frozen in place as her mind raced but would focus on nothing but the fact that she was trapped with one madman while another was on his way.


	4. Chapter 4

Jonathan approached his current dilemma like he would with his business. He started with what he knew.

"All right, we know that Popov has to have Jennifer. We're in DC, and that's where the Russian Embassy is. Tom, Jerry, you know that Popov hasn't really left the embassy since his interview with Jennifer three weeks ago. That leaves us with a pretty high percentage that she's there."

Max spoke first. "How're you going to get into an embassy?"

Jonathan pinned all three men with a look. "If Popov does really intend to sell Jennifer, he's going to need a buyer."

Tom shook his head. "That's risky. One of his men already got a good look at you when he came through Jennifer's hotel room door."

Jonathan nodded. "Yeah, but I can doctor my look somehow. I probably need to anyway. I don't think Popov would believe that Jonathan Hart wants to buy a woman." His stomach churned as he thought about Jennifer and the fact that if he didn't get to her in time… He shook his head to clear it from going down that rabbit hole and turned to Tom and Jerry. "I need you two to put feelers out for me. Figure out a way for me to either meet Popov or get on his radar as a potential buyer. Make sure that you have Jennifer's stats right. I don't want her to slip through my fingers on a technicality. Tell him money is no object."

The two men left to get to work, while Jonathan and Max planned a disguise.

"Mr. H., maybe you should go a little older. You know, put some gray in the hair, add facial hair. You could put some padding on to look a little pudgy."

"That's great, Max."

Max could see that Jonathan was distracted. "You're in love with her ain't ya?"

Jonathan sighed. "Yes, I am. I told her that this morning. And she told me that I didn't know her, that she wasn't what I wanted."

As usual, Max cut straight to the chase. "She had a lot to deal with."

Jonathan smiled ruefully. "I'm wondering how she'll take it when she finds out I knew who she was before we officially met." Jonathan hung his head. "I'm wondering how she'll take it when she finds out I didn't protect her."

"Get serious, kid." Max only pulled out "kid" when he was irked with Jonathan, which happened a lot during his teen years.

"I am, Max."

Max pushed both his hands through the air at Jonathan. "It ain't your fault that you didn't know what was going on. Frik and Frac came to you three days ago, but this has been going on for three weeks. Those numbskulls wouldn't even realize she was gone if you hadn't called 'em." Max pointed a finger at Jonathan's chest. "You're the one who's got the plan to get her back too. So let's get to planning."

Jonathan gave Max a quick hug. "Thanks, Max. I love ya."

"I know, now get to work."

For the next couple of hours, Jonathan called in favors, and Tom and Jerry put together a background for Jonathan.

When they all got together again, Jonathan became Alan Bronson, a wealthy oil baron from Texas. He worked through his new identity, memorizing every part of it, fielding questions from the other men so that he wouldn't be caught off guard if Popov asked questions, which he would.

"We put Bronson's name out there, and even have a couple of people who can verify that he's either shown interest or actually bought someone before."

Jonathan pinched the bridge of his nose. This whole business disgusted him, and he wanted nothing more than to see the Popovs pay for the pain they inflicted on others.

Tom handed Jonathan a cell phone. This is Alan's. Hopefully you'll get a call soon. If not, we have a way for you to call Popov. Just then the phone went off. Jonathan shook his head as "Yellow Rose of Texas" announced the call. He took a deep breath and answered in a deep southern drawl.

"This is Bronson."

"Mr. Bronson, I hear you are in the market for an exquisite piece of merchandise."

Jonathan nodded to the others before answering. Jerry clicked a button on his phone that would allow them to clone Jonathan's phone while he spoke to Popov. "Well, I'm a man who likes to collect exotic things."

"That's very good. Your request was rather specific, and I happen to have exactly what you're looking for."

"Well, I am a man who knows what he wants. I do, however, like to see what I'm purchasing before actually buying it."

"Of course. That can be arranged. I assume your line is secure."

"Untraceable." Jonathan heard the ping and looked at the picture that came through. He smiled at the fire he saw in Jennifer's eyes, but he also noticed the fear she tried to hide.

"Did you get the photo?"

"I did, I did, and that's exactly what I'm looking for." Jonathan hoped his next request didn't tip his hand. "Now, I've been to this rodeo before, and I've had to leave early due to some mishandling. I want to make sure that what I'm buying comes to me undamaged. No one else gets to handle the merchandise. I'll even throw in a bonus to make sure of it."

Popov smiled an oily smile on his side of the line. "I can make sure of that. Does $750,000 sound agreeable?"

"Well that seems like a right bargain for a pretty little filly like her. Just tell me when and where we can make the exchange."

"How soon can you get to DC?"

Jonathan wanted to tell Popov two minutes, but he needed to keep his cover and have time to change his appearance. "Well, I'm in the air right now. I can redirect my pilot and be at Dulles in about an hour."

"Let's plan to meet at the mall in two hours. The east end of the Reflecting Pool."

"How will I know you?"

"I'm sure you'll recognize your purchase." With that, Popov clicked off.

Jonathan turned to the group. "We have a little over an hour to make this happen."

Joyce, the make-up artist who joined them while Jonathan was on the phone got to work turning Jonathan's hair a mix of salt and pepper. She also added a well trimmed beard and mustache. With just the right amount of make-up, which didn't look like make-up at all when Joyce was finished, also added about 20 years to his face. They decided against the padding, since Jonathan would already be wearing an overcoat to protect against the harsh winds of winter. He went into the bedroom and changed into a suit, but instead of the Italian loafers he would have chosen, he put on snake skin boots and a Stetson. Jonathan Hart came out into the sitting room looking every bit like Alan Bronson, oil magnate.

"Mr. H., even I have a hard time recognizing you."

"That's good, Max." He turned to Joyce. "Thanks. You did a great job. Tom, do I have a driver?"

Max looked offended. "Mr. H., you got me."

Jonathan shook his head. "Not this time." Jonathan held up his hands as his oldest friend started to protest. "Two reasons – one, I don't want you in the line of fire, and two, if you accidentally call me Mr. H., we're all dead."

Max shook his head. "I understand. I don't like it, but I got it."

Jonathan gave Max a quick hug and turned toward Tom who handed him a wallet filled with Alan Bronson's driver's license, credit cards, and the account number that the money would transfer from.

"Your driver's name is Sam. He's one of our best and will have your back should you have any issues. Meeting at the east end of the mall is smart on Popov's part. It's in the open, but there isn't really a quick way out. There's a lot of open space. We'll have men there, but we have to wait for the transfer of funds to make the arrest. On a side note, and I hope this makes you as happy as it makes me, we've already revoked the diplomatic status of both Popov men."

Jonathan smiled a feral smile and looked at his watch. "Let's get moving."

...

Ambassador Popov was not a happy man. He'd just gotten off the phone with his son. Adrian had no sense of what was truly important. It did not matter that Adrian didn't get his time with the Edwards woman. What mattered was the three-quarters of a million dollars that would soon be in the bank. There were plenty of other women out there for Adrian to have his dalliances with. The ambassador would deal with the petulant boy after he landed, which was several hours after Grigori sold the woman.

For now, Popov busied himself with getting Jennifer ready for sale. Not that she needed to do much. Jennifer Edwards wasn't like the runaways or street women he often sold. However, Popov had a reputation to maintain, and he hoped that Alan Bronson would give a good recommendation.

Popov knocked on Jennifer's door. When she didn't answer, he walked in anyway and found her pacing.

"Miss Edwards, I have good news for you. I've procured a buyer."

Jennifer looked at him, panic setting in as she realized how little time she had to try to escape.

"My son is not happy with me though, as he will not land until after the sale is complete."

Closing her eyes, Jennifer breathed a small sigh of relief that she wouldn't have to deal with Adrian. Unfortunately, she had no idea how to deal with being sold to the highest bidder.

"You will shower and change clothes. There are several options in the closet that were purchased specifically for you." He turned to walk out but stopped at the door and speared Jennifer with a look. "You have one hour. Do not disappoint me, Miss Edwards. The buyer asked specifically that you not be manhandled. I am a man of my word and would hate to lose this sale due to your insubordination."

His look sent a chill down Jennifer's spine, but she held his gaze until the door shut behind her. She listened to the click of the lock before she allowed her tears to fall.

Jennifer ran through all of her options as she looked through the closet. For right now, it seemed she had to do what Popov told her. She would shower and dress. Choosing black leggings with an emerald green tunic and black belt, she headed into the bathroom to get ready. Sadly, the green of the tunic reminded her of earlier in the morning and her time with Jonathan. How was it that only a few hours ago she was in the arms of a man she loved and now she was here, waiting to be sold to a stranger? She talked herself through the panic that threatened to overtake her as she showered and went through her regular routine that this time wasn't even close to regular.

An hour later, Popov led her to the waiting limo with its Russian flags on the hood. As they drove toward the mall, Popov went through his instructions.

"Miss Edwards, do not try to make a scene. As far as the rest of the mall visitors are concerned, we are just a couple enjoying the briskness of a Washington winter day. I have a gun in my coat pocket, and I would hate to put a hole in that beautiful body of yours. Once the sale is complete, you will go your way with Mr. Bronson, and I will go mine. You are then free to do whatever you like. However, I don't think Mr. Bronson will be too happy if you try something stupid after he spent $750,000 on you."

Jennifer looked at Popov aghast. "He spent three quarters of a million dollars on me?"

Popov's smile was quick. "I told you that you would fetch me a pretty penny."

Her stomach roiled at the thought that she was not the first and would not be the last person this man sold. If she ever got out of this mess, she needed to write a story about the horrors of human slavery. Jennifer knew from previous research that slavery was actually more prevalent now than it was before the Civil War, but no one realized it because it happened underground instead of in the open. She wanted and needed to bring it out in the open, to give all those sold a voice.

The limo rolled to a stop, and Jennifer steeled herself for the next part of this hideous journey.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's note: This is the final chapter, and it is rated M, even though the story is rated T. I couldn't get it to upload with the M rating.

Jonathan stood at the east end of the Reflecting Pool, his eyes scanning every direction for Jennifer. Due to the deepening twilight and the cold, there weren't many people out and about. He knew he was early, but he wanted to be there in case something went wrong. Even if Popov tried to run, maybe he could still get Jennifer away from danger.

Thankfully, everything was going according to plan, and Jonathan gave an internal shout as he saw Jennifer walking toward him with an aristocratic looking man.

Jennifer's eyes darted left and right as she walked with Popov toward the pool. Most everyone she saw was moving quickly, trying to get out of the cold and back to the warmth of wherever they were going. She saw no way to escape as her path was out in the open. At this point though, she seriously debated the pros and cons of being shot versus being sold as a sex slave. She was dangerously close to choosing running. As if sensing her thoughts, Popov took a hold of her arm, steering her toward the older gentleman standing by himself.

"Mr. Bronson?"

Jonathan turned around, hoping that Jennifer might recognize him, but she was staring at the ground. She was wrestling with whether or not she actually wanted to look at a degenerate who would purchase a woman for his own perverse use. Deciding not to give him the satisfaction of seeing her full face, she continued staring at the pavement.

"Well, well, well. If she isn't even better than I thought she'd be. What's your name, Sugar?" Jonathan had to swallow hard to keep up the act in front of Popov.

Jennifer remained mute, as the bile built up in her throat. She knew she didn't stand a chance with both Popov and Bronson standing here, but maybe she could appeal to Mr. Bronson when they were walking back to his car. If not, she might be able to outrun him, especially after she made sure she kicked him as hard as she could in the groin. The thought of him writhing in pain made her smile slightly.

Popov looked disappointed. "My apologies for her manners. Her name is Jennifer Edwards." Popov pulled Jennifer's head back by her hair so Bronson could see her face. "I'm sure once the two of you are alone, you can convince her to speak with you."

It took everything in his power not to knock the lights out of the man standing in front of him, but Jonathan needed to play the game just a little longer. His anger at the way Popov touched Jennifer almost had him forgetting his Southern drawl. "I told you she didn't get touched." Grigori immediately removed his hand at the venom in Jonathan's voice.

"My apologies, Mr. Bronson. I just thought you would like to see her full face."

Jennifer immediately averted her eyes again. She glanced at Bronson only briefly but something clicked in her brain. It frustrated her when she couldn't grab hold of it.

"She can be shy all she wants right now. We'll get to know each other real well later." He added a wink for Popov's sake, but he hated what Jennifer must think of him right now. Even in the evening twilight, Jonathan noticed that Jennifer had tears running down her face, so he held a light blue handkerchief out to her. "You should dry those tears, Sugar. They'll freeze in this weather."

Jennifer's hand shook as she took the cloth from his hand. So she didn't give away that she now knew who was standing in front of her, she kept her head bowed and tried to keep her voice even. "Thank you." Her heart raced knowing that Jonathan was the man behind the southern drawl. All she wanted to do was throw herself into his arms, even though she wasn't sure that he would ever want her again.

The smirk on Popov's face made Jonathan want to hit him over and over. "Now, see, we can play nice. Mr. Bronson, I believe there is a matter of payment, and then I will be on my way."

"Of course." Jonathan pulled up the bank's site and entered some information. He held the phone so Popov could see what he was doing. As Popov was distracted by numbers and greed, Jonathan moved between Jennifer and the ambassador. When Popov's phone pinged, Jonathan nodded toward it. "That should be confirmation that the money is now in your account. Check it."

Grigori pulled out his phone and smiled. "It has been a pleasure, Mr. Bronson. Enjoy your new toy."

He didn't make it ten feet before he was thrown on the ground and handcuffed.

Jonathan was just pulling Jennifer into his arms when she saw Popov go down. Before Jonathan could stop her, she launched herself at the ambassador and landed a right hook to his nose, effectively breaking it. She would have taken another swing, but Jonathan was able to get to her.

"Whoa, Red. He's down. He's not going anywhere, and he won't hurt anyone again. We got him." Jonathan finally wrapped Jennifer in his arms.

Tom stepped in to catch them up on other parts of the operation. "First of all, nice right. Secondly, I thought you both might like to know that we will get Adrian the minute he steps off the plane. Both men are going to jail for the rest of their lives. We also found a hidden room at the embassy, probably left over from the Cold War. There were 18 girls and women in there who were rescued, and the New York PD found a building with 33 more. They are all being treated at local hospitals. Jonathan, we couldn't have done this without you. We should have filled you in from the beginning. I'm sorry." Tom reached out and Jonathan shook his hand.

Tom turned to Jennifer. "I know this is the last thing you want to do, but I do need to ask you some questions."

Jonathan speared the man with a look. "Is it necessary right now?"

Jennifer squeezed Jonathan's hand. "I want to get this over with. Can we go somewhere warm?"

As a concession, Tom offered to question her at the hotel. "That way you can be comfortable."

"Thank you. The hotel will work." She laced her fingers through Jonathan's. "Is it all right if I ride back with Mr. Bronson?"

Jonathan was encouraged by the slight smile on her face. He could see her still warring with all the emotion, but he would help her work through it.

Tom nodded. "That's fine. Sam will drive you back. Jerry and I will be along shortly. We've got a few things to tie up here."

In the backseat of the limo, Jonathan held Jennifer tightly. He wasn't sure he would ever let her out of his arms again.

"How did you find me?"

Jonathan placed a small kiss on her temple. "I opened your 'hotel bill' and I looked through your interview notes. I'm sorry I invaded your privacy, but I'm not sorry that it led me to you."

"I have a lot to explain to you."

Jonathan kissed her temple again. "I have some explaining to do myself." He tipped her chin so he could gaze into her eyes. "I'm sorry for the disgusting things I said while Popov and I made our deal. I really just wanted to hit him, but I needed to make sure you were out of harm's way first."

Jennifer shook her head slightly, her eyes full of questions and emotions. Instead of dealing with them, she apologized for what was easy first. "I need to apologize for the fantasy I had of kicking you really hard in the groin and running away when I thought you actually were Mr. Bronson."

Jonathan's laugh steadied her a bit. "I can't blame you one bit. Did the right hook you threw at Popov make you feel better?" He kissed her knuckles.

"I never thought violence was something I was capable of, but I think I would have kept swinging if you hadn't stopped me."

Jonathan gave her a light kiss on the forehead. "It's totally understandable with what you just went through."

She had so much she wanted to tell him, but they pulled up in front of the hotel so there was no time for her to voice what was in her heart. Jonathan placed his arm around her shoulders as they rode up to his suite.

"Is it all right if you talk with Tom and Jerry here? That way I can get this stuff off my face and the paint out of my hair. I won't be far away if you need me."

Jennifer gave a slight nod. "Why don't you get started? Max can keep me company for now. I think I'd like to have you with me when I talk with the authorities."

Jonathan pulled her in for a hug and gave her another sweet kiss on the forehead. "You just tell me what you need from me. I'm all yours."

She tugged at the scruff of his trim beard. "Scoot. I'm fine with Max for now."

Jonathan headed toward his bedroom to shower and remove the false facial hair. He moved as quickly as he could so that he could be done by the time the agents got there.

Anderson and Kase were just getting settled in the sitting room when Jonathan came in. Jennifer patted the sofa next to her. "It's all right if he's here, isn't it?"

Tom answered, "Whatever makes you comfortable, Miss Edwards. Jerry is going to record this, if that's all right."

Jennifer nodded.

"Ok, just take us through what happened between you and Ambassador Grigori Popov. Take your time, and be as specific as you can, please."

Jennifer took a deep breath and thanked Max for bringing her a glass of water. "I met Ambassador Popov about three weeks ago while I was working on a book. I'm interviewing many different people from all over the world, and he is one of them. Because he is often in New York, that's where he wanted to meet. He rented out a restaurant and we spent a couple of hours talking about what he does, who he's met, etc… His son, Adrian Popov, was also there, and I was uncomfortable with the way he kept looking at me. After a while, I realized that both men disturbed me. At the conclusion of the interview, Ambassador Popov left, but Adrian stayed behind to supposedly ask me some questions. It turns out he didn't want to talk to me at all." Jennifer took a drink of water, and Jonathan, who had his arm around her, rubbed her arm to comfort her.

"He made a couple of vulgar comments, but then he came at me so fast I didn't really have time to think. I moved enough that he couldn't get a hold of me, but when he came at me again, I shoved at him and he lost his balance. That's when he went careening into the side table, which had a marble top. Adrian hit his head, and I noticed he was bleeding. My cell phone didn't have reception in the back of the restaurant, so I went out front to call 911. When I went back to check on him, I couldn't find a pulse. I waited for the police and ambulance to get there, and when we all went to the back room, he was gone. While I was at the Russian Embassy, the ambassador told me his men came in and got Adrian out because they didn't want the police to question him."

"The ambassador told you that his men took Adrian from the restaurant?"

Jennifer nodded. "Yes. He told me that just before he told me that Adrian was in Russia, but since I was at the embassy, he would bring Adrian back to the US."

Jonathan placed a light kiss on her temple and tightened his hold on her. Her body was trembling.

"Tom, can we finish this later. It's taking a toll on Jennifer."

She looked up at Jonathan and cupped his face with her hand. She didn't deserve to have him sitting next to her after the horrible way she'd spoken to him earlier, but here he was, and he was a rock. "It's all right. I want to get it over with. I don't want to wake up tomorrow having to relive it again."

Jonathan ran his thumb over her cheek. "You're sure?"

She nodded. "I'm fairly positive that Adrian is one of the men who breaks the women down that Grigori sells. I'm sure that's why he came after me in the restaurant and why he was coming back to the US after I was taken." She laced her fingers through Jonathan's as she continued. "After I told my story to the New York Police, I went home. A few days later, I found a note on my windshield when I came out of work. It was in a baggie to protect it from the snow. It said simply, 'Not all is as it seems.' After that, I got a few more, each one a little more menacing than the last. I received one more while I was here. It was slipped under my door last night, but I went to bed without reading it."

"Do you have them all?"

"Yes. The others are in New York at my apartment, but the last one is on the desk."

Jerry got up and retrieved the envelope. It was sealed into a bag as evidence.

Jonathan spoke up. "You'll find both mine and Max's fingerprints on that one. When Jennifer was kidnapped I opened it, hoping to find a clue to her whereabouts, and I showed it to both of you earlier.

"Just one more question Jennifer, and then Jerry and I will get out of here. Did Ambassador Grigori Popov actually say that he was selling you? We have the money transfer, but to have both you and Jonathan confirm it will go a long way in prosecution."

Jennifer nodded. "Yes. He told me more than once." She looked down, collected her thoughts, and brought the conversation back to the front of her mind. "Popov told me that after his son was done with me that he would sell me for a nice profit. Because of my red hair, I would make him hundreds of thousands of dollars." She felt Jonathan's hand clench around hers and rubbed her thumb over his hand to soothe him. "He also gloated when he made the deal with Mr. Bronson for $750,000." To calm herself a bit, she shot Jonathan a sideways glance. "You overpaid, by the way." As she hoped, Jonathan smiled slightly.

"I would have given that sorry excuse of a human everything I had to get you back."

Jennifer's tears came unwillingly, and Jonathan reached for a handkerchief. Jennifer laughed when she pulled out the light blue one she still held and dabbed at her eyes.

Both Tom and Jerry stood to leave. Jonathan kissed Jennifer's temple.

"Darling, I need to talk to them for a bit in the hallway. Are you going to be all right?"

Jennifer nodded through her tears. "I'll just go try to fix all this."

Jonathan wiped one of her tears with his thumb before leaning in to brush his lips over hers. "You don't need to fix anything. You're beautiful."

In the hallway, Jonathan asked the one question he didn't have an answer to. "Why was I asked to protect Jennifer? Over the past five years, I've always been a glorified errand boy. Why the change?"

Jerry looked at Jonathan. "Because her father requested you."

That wasn't the answer Jonathan was expecting. "Her father?" Jonathan shook his head. "That doesn't make any sense. She told me her father owns the Goodson Gallery. He has one in DC and one in Germany."

"He does own the galleries, but he does favors for us from time to time too. During the war, Steven Edwards did some covert missions for the government, much like you did during your stint in the Navy. Even though you are both retired military, we keep in touch. Edwards' travels are frequent, so no one thinks twice when he shows up in places like Germany or London. When he meets with people, like you, documents and merchandise often changes hands. It works well for us, and at this point has worked well for a lot of years."

"But how did Steven Edwards know about what Jennifer was going through?"

"He has ears all over town, and he got wind of it. He knows about you, and now you know about him."

Jonathan shook his head. "That still doesn't explain why he asked for me to protect Jennifer. I'm a businessman."

Tom nodded. "That's precisely why. He figured you'd be under the radar. Jennifer is a very smart woman and a hell of an investigative journalist. Her father knew she'd spot an agent from three miles away."

"I have to tell her. I won't keep this from her, but I won't mention her father unless she asks me something directly. That will be his story to tell."

Tom and Jerry looked at each other. "It's all right since she was a part of this operation, and her father will appreciate being able to tell her on his own. We'll be in touch."

Jonathan reentered the room to find Max and Jennifer in a heated game of Gin Rummy. It did his heart good to see the two of them as thick as thieves. "Jennifer, you've found a friend for life now that you've played cards with Max."

Her laugh helped smooth out a few more of his heart's rough spots. "I think he'll keep me around because he keeps beating me."

Max gave her a sly smile around his cigar as he laid out his cards. "Gin."

She shook her head. "I quit. You're a shark."

Jonathan rubbed his hand down her back. "Why don't we go down to your suite? We can order some room service and talk."

Jennifer looked up at him, and her smile faltered, but she nodded.

"I'll catch up with you later, Max."

Jennifer threw her arms around the older man. "Thanks for taking my mind off things." She kissed his cheek and Jonathan would swear he saw Max blush.

"Don't worry about hurrying back, Mr. H.. I got a couple guys coming up for a game or two."

"You need a silent partner?"

"Sure."

Jonathan pulled out some bills and handed them to Max. "Don't lose them all on the same game."

"Very funny."

When they got to Jennifer's room, Jonathan pulled out the room service menu.

"I'm not very hungry."

Jonathan looked at her. "When was the last time you ate?"

"Breakfast, with you." Her tears started again, and Jonathan wrapped her in his arms.

He held on as she let go of all the fear she'd felt throughout the day, and Jonathan voiced what she felt.

"Breakfast seems like weeks ago."

Her words came out on little hiccups. "I've never been so scared in my entire life."

Jonathan moved them to the sofa and sat down, keeping her enfolded in his arms.

"It was bad enough knowing what Adrian wanted from me, but then when Grigori told me he was going to sell me…" She couldn't finish.

Jonathan's hand rubbed up and down her back, trying to soothe. "Jennifer, I'm so sorry I didn't protect you." He placed a soft kiss on the top of her head.

She shifted and looked up at him. "You didn't know."

Jonathan closed his eyes and rested his forehead on hers. He took a deep breath and prayed she understood. "I did. Sort of."

Her eyes clouded with confusion.

"I was asked to protect you three days ago. I didn't know from who or what, but I was at the fundraiser last night to meet you."

She pulled out of his arms a little so she could look at him. "We didn't meet by chance?"

This was going to be tougher than he thought. "Yes and no. I wouldn't have been at the fundraiser if it weren't for you, but what I told you about following your laugh, that was the truth. Everything that happened between us happened because I fell in love with you."

Jennifer gave him a skeptical look, but she didn't pull completely away from him. "Who asked you to protect me? Why you? Who knew what I was going through? I didn't tell anyone."

"I'll take those one at a time. Two men I work with sometimes, Tom Anderson and Jerry Kase, came to my room in the middle of the night, which is why Max called. I lied to you about the overseas call. Since I was in the Navy, and because of my business contacts overseas, the government sometimes asks me to be a courier."

She gave him a quizzical look. "You're a spy?"

His laugh made her feel more like herself than she had since she left him earlier that morning, and he shook his head. "Not even close. I'm a glorified messenger." He ran a thumb over her cheek. "I was asked to protect you because everyone figured you'd spot an agent in a heartbeat, and they didn't want to tip anyone off. As to who knew what you were going through, you should have a talk with your father. He and I have a lot in common, which I just found out about tonight."

Jennifer made a mental note to call her father the next day.

Jonathan's eyes pleaded with her. "Jennifer, please believe me when I tell you that spending time with you wasn't just a job for me. In fact, Tom and Jerry were here last night to chastise me for being with you." He took her hands in his. "You fill a void in my life that I didn't even realize I had. Please, tell me you believe me when I tell you that I love you."

Her smile lit up her face. "I do. I so badly wanted to tell you that I love you too, but this morning I was so scared. I didn't want to drag you into what was going on, so I pushed you away when all I really wanted to do was run straight into your arms." Jennifer took a deep breath. "I'm an independent woman who can take care of herself, but I'm also smart enough to know that I wouldn't have survived today without you."

Jonathan ran his thumb over her cheek. " I don't think I would have survived if I hadn't been able to get to you." He kissed her gently. "I promise you I will never lie to you again."

Jennifer curled back into Jonathan's arms. "And I promise to never push you away again. I don't know what would have happened to me if you had listened to me this morning."

Jonathan placed a kiss on her hairline. "After what we shared, there was no way I was going anywhere."

Since his chin was resting on her head, Jonathan didn't see Jennifer's blush as she thought about their time together. "This morning was something I've never experienced before."

Jonathan again lifted her chin so he could look at her. "I've never wanted a woman more. I've never truly been in love before. Not until you." He kissed her softly. He'd always seemed to do things in grand fashion, but here, now, was the perfect time for his next question. "Will you marry me?"

He watched as emotions and questions swirled in her whiskey eyes. Finally, he saw what he was waiting for and her smile bloomed as she shifted and put her arms around his neck. "You're sure you want a woman who tends to find trouble?"

He laughed. "I get the feeling we're going to find plenty of trouble together."

"Then, yes. I'll marry you." She sealed the promise with a kiss that blew the top of his head off. When she reached to pull his shirt over his head, he stopped her.

"Come with me." Jonathan stood and led her to the bedroom. He kissed her gently and trailed kisses to her neck and ear. The hum in her throat when he hit one particular spot intrigued him, so he kissed her there again.

His name was a whisper on her lips. "Jonathan, make love to me."

His mouth hovered just above hers. "I intend to, Darling." She watched as a wicked gleam stole into his eyes. "I'm going to start by kissing every sexy little freckle on your body."

The look in his eye, along with the implications of his mouth on her shot a spear of lust like she'd never felt through her entire body. Jonathan undressed her slowly, his lips busy on her neck and mouth the entire time. He ran his hands up over her hips and around to her back, pulling her tightly against him. When she again tried to remove his shirt, he pushed her back onto the bed and straddled her. Lacing his fingers through hers to keep her hands still, he kissed her senseless. His tongue mated with hers, his lips sipped at her sweetness, and the moan that escaped her fueled his desire to give her everything he had.

True to his word, his mouth started a journey down her body. He kissed her nose and cheekbones, along with her chin and ears. When he got to her neck, he happily went back to that sensitive spot that caused her to moan again. Jonathan's tongue connected all the dots on Jennifer's collarbone and made her squirm under his ministrations.

"Jonathan, please. I need you." Her eyes were closed as sensation after sensation curled through her body.

Jonathan stopped his tongue's perusal of her and brought his lips back to hers for a searing kiss. "Darling, let me cherish you, please." Jennifer knew she'd never be able to deny this man anything as she stared into his blue eyes, so she kissed him and let him love her.

When his mouth closed over her breast and his tongue laved her nipple, she gripped his hands and her back arched against him. The madness of what he was doing to her body overtook her bit by bit as he switched from one breast to the other. Slowly, erotically, he trailed his way down her stomach and deflowered her navel. He made his way to her hips and ran his tongue through the crease where hip met thigh, carefully avoiding her most erogenous zone. He freed his hands and stroked the backs of her thighs, lifting her so he could ravish her with his mouth. His tongue teased her, deftly avoiding where she longed to feel it most. When Jennifer's fingers fisted in Jonathan's hair, he thrust his tongue deep into her and reveled in her body's response. He alternated between stroking her deep inside and nibbling at her swollen, sensitive nub. The sounds she made urged him to give her more. As she tightened and her body reacted more erratically, he increased the speed and pressure until she went hurtling over the edge of sexual bliss.

Jonathan continued to stroke her as she recovered. He kissed his way back up her body and again kissed her neck to watch her squirm. "Darling, do you have any idea how glorious you are?" He trailed his fingers up the inside of her thigh and ran them lightly over her russet curls.

Impatient to feel him against her, she managed to get his shirt off of him, but his fingers went directly back to her core and continued their lazy caresses, while his lips found hers and teased her. Jonathan brushed his mouth over hers, his tongue stroking hers, seducing her all over again.

Her voice was husky with need. "Jonathan, I need you inside me."

His eyes twinkled with mischief as he held her gaze and his fingers thrust inside her.

As he plunged again and again into her, he relentlessly pushed her to the edge and she struggled to chastise him. Between moans, she managed to tell him. "Oh, God. That's not what I meant."

"I know." He laughed as he kissed her and marveled at her beauty as she shattered again.

When she could move, she gave him a half hearted swat on his arm. Jennifer watched as he stood and removed the rest of his clothing. She wrapped her arms around him when he stretched out next to her and relished being skin to skin with him. He rolled so that she was mostly under him, but she put a finger to his lips before he could kiss her.

"Darling." She rather liked that endearment when he used it on her. "We're going to have to work a little on the fairness of our love making."

Her stomach flip flopped as a wicked grin spread across Jonathan's face. "Darling, with you, I'm never going to play fair." He watched her eyes cloud with passion as he slipped inside her. "Watching your body react to what I can do to you is so erotic and satisfying." He ran his thumb over her cheek before kissing her softly. "You are so beautiful." He'd used the word cherish earlier, and Jennifer had never felt more cherished in her life.

Jonathan moved slowly, savoring how she fit around him, how her hips met his thrust for thrust. When she wrapped her legs around him and he sank deeper into her, he pressed harder, wanting to make sure she was with him. He laced his fingers with hers again as their bodies pushed each other toward ecstasy. When Jonathan felt Jennifer tighten, he gave one more deep, penetrating thrust and they both fractured with the intensity. He continued to slide slowly in and out of her as their bodies shuddered with aftershocks. Jonathan kissed her gently and held her tightly as he felt their breathing settle.

Jennifer ran her fingers up and down his back, loving the weight of him on top of her. "You know, Darling, it's a shame you aren't a spy."

He laughed a bit. "Why is that?"

"You've got the whole sexy in a tux, take the woman to bed thing down pretty well."

Jonathan's laugh came from his toes. Suddenly he smiled lecherously at her. "I don't know about me being James Bond, but you've definitely got a Bond Girl body."

With one last sensuous kiss, they fell asleep in each other's arms. As Jonathan drifted off, he put the logistics of their bi-coastal romance out of his mind. All that mattered at the moment was that she was in his arms and safe.


End file.
